SACRAMENTO – Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. today announced the following appointments.
Jeanette Torres, 32, of Santa Ana, has been appointed executive director of the California Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Directors. Torres has held multiple positions at Santa Ana Building Healthy Communities since 2011, including interim hub manager and policy and evaluation coordinator. She was program manager at the Northern California Institute for Research and Education from 2007 to 2011 and was a staff research associate at the University of California, San Francisco Comprehensive Cancer Center from 2005 to 2007. Torres was program coordinator at the Women’s Cancer Resource Center in Oakland from 2005 to 2007. She earned a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Michigan and is an alumnus of the Women’s Policy Institute and Emerge California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $94,008. Torres is a Democrat.
Kara Partridge Ralston, 49, of Ojai, has been appointed to the California Health Professions Education Foundation Board of Trustees. Ralston has held multiple positions at Camarillo Health Care District since 1998, including chief operations officer, chief administrative officer and chief information officer. She was a public relation and business development manager at the Livingston Memorial Visiting Nurse Association from 1987 to 1998. Ralston earned a Master of Business Administration degree in Management at California Coast University. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Ralston is a Republican.
Michael J. Farrell IV, 32, of Newport Beach, has been appointed to the California Healthcare Workforce Policy Commission. Farrell has been a physician at Pacific Hospital of Long Beach since 2012. He earned a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Farrell is a member of the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of California, the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Farrell is a Republican.
David DeLeonardis, 62, of Sacramento, has been appointed to the California State Rehabilitation Council, where he has served since 2010. DeLeonardis has held multiple positions at Crossroads Diversified Services since 1980, including president and chief executive officer. He is a member of the Golden Sierra Workforce Investment Board. DeLeonardis earned a Master of Public Administration degree from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. DeLeonardis is registered decline-to-state.
Trilby Kerrigan, 43, of Ukiah, has been appointed to the California State Independent Living Council and to the California State Rehabilitation Council. Trilby has been a vocational rehabilitation counselor for the Pinoleville Pomo Nation vocational Rehabilitation Program since 2007. She was an associate teacher at North Coast Children’s Services in 2007, a licensed home childcare provider for Lisa’s Childcare from 2005 to 2007 and held multiple positions at the Pacific Lumber Company from 2002 to 2007, including guest relations staff and factory worker. Kerrigan was a general construction laborer at Klinger Construction in New Mexico from 2000 to 2001, a heavy equipment operator at Northwestern Pacific Railroad from 1995 to 1999 and a park aid at the California Department of Parks and Recreation from 1992 to 1995. She is a member of the Mendocino County Supportive Housing Program. These positions do not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kerrigan is a Democrat.
Bryn Forhan, 54, of Fresno, has been appointed to the San Joaquin River Conservancy Board, where she has served since 2001. Forhan has been owner of the Forhan Company since 2002. She was vice president of government and community relations at Community Medical Centers from 1995 to 2002 and held multiple positions in the office of California Assemblymember Jim Costa from 1991 to 1994, including district chief of staff and administrative assistant. Forhan is co-chair of the Valley Coalition at the University of California, Merced Medical School. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Forhan is a Democrat.
Paul Gibson, 58, of Fresno, has been appointed to the San Joaquin River Conservancy Board. Gibson is co-chairman of Guarantee Real Estate and was owner of Guarantee Corporations from 1991 to 2013. He has been a farmer since 1986. Gibson was vice president at the Wells Fargo Regional Commercial Banking Office from 1986 to 1991 and assistant vice president at the Bank of America Regional Commercial Banking Office from 1984 to 1986. He held multiple positions at the Brentwood School from 1977 to 1984, including head of the upper school, teacher and coach. Gibson is a member of the North Fresno Rotary. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree in accounting and finance from the University of California, Los Angeles Anderson School of Management. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Gibson is a Republican.
Carolyn Nolan, 72, of Madera, has been appointed to the San Joaquin River Conservancy Board. Nolan has been chief financial officer at Central Coating Company Inc. since 1970. She was a research assistant at the Arthur D. Little Management Consultants Department of Regional Economics from 1967 to 1970 and a biochemistry research assistant at the Harvard Medical School, Peter Brent Brigham Hospital from 1963 to 1965. Nolan has been a member of the San Joaquin River Parkway and Conservation Trust since 1988 and served on its board from 1993 until 2011. She was an elected member of the Madera Unified School District Board of Education from 1989 to 1992. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Nolan is a Democrat.
Steve Kovacs, 46, of Murphys, has been appointed to the California State Board of Fire Services. Kovacs has been fire chief at the Copperopolis Fire Protection District since 2012, at the Murphys Fire Protection District since 2006 and owner of Professional Management Associates since 1989. He held multiple positions at the Ebbetts Pass Fire District from 1981 to 2012, including battalion chief, shift commander, captain, emergency medical services coordinator, engineer, firefighter and volunteer. Kovacs is a member of the Fire Districts Association of California. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Kovacs is a Republican.
Michael Lopez, 47, of Chico, has been appointed to the California State Board of Fire Services. Lopez has served in multiple positions at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection since 1989, including fire captain, fire fighter and fire apparatus and limited term engineer. He was a member of the Butte County Inter-Agency Hazmat Team from 1992 until 2002. Lopez has been president of the CDF Firefighters Local 2881. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Lopez is a Democrat
Louis Paulson, 54, of Walnut Creek, has been appointed to the California State Board of Fire Services, where he has served since 2007. Paulson has been president of the California Professional Firefighters since 2004 and was an employee of the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District from 1984 to 2011. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Paulson is a Democrat.
Russell Rawls, 57, of Saugus, has been appointed to the California State Board of Fire Services. Rawls has held multiple positions at the Los Angeles Fire Department since 1985, including fire inspector, firefighter and paramedic. He is Southern California director of the California State Firefighters’ Association, a shop steward at the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, Local 112 and a Los Angeles Firefighters Association member and liaison. Rawls is a member of the International Association of Firefighters and of the California Professional Firefighters. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Rawls is a Democrat.
Michael Scott Williams, 55, of Santa Barbara, has been appointed to the California State Board of Fire Services, where he has served since 2008. Williams has been president and executive director at the Fire Services Training Institute since 2006 and at the San Marcos Pass Volunteer Fire Department since 2003. He has been president and chief executive officer at Michael S. Williams Security Systems since 1985. He was lead instructor at the National Traffic Safety Institute from 1989 to 1998 and a member of the Protocol Telecommunications Inc. Board of Directors from 1984 to 1998. Williams was a police officer at the University of California, Santa Barbara Police Department from 1979 to 1989 and a reserve police officer at the City of Irvine Police Department from 1978 to 1979. He is a member of the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the National Volunteer Fire Council, the Santa Barbara County Community Emergency Response Team Committee and the California State Firefighters’ Association. This position does not require Senate confirmation and there is no compensation. Williams is a Republican.